Archive for the ‘Audio catechism’ Category

This is the outline for the "after liturgy" talk that is customarily given in our church, before it is too chaotic to teach. The plan is to give this talk tommorow, with the material below as a handout. I "try" to keep things short, so by no means is the talk comprehensive.

* The Lamb and particles placed on the diskos.
* The large triangle to the left of the Lamb is the particle for the Theotokos
* To the right of the Lamb are the particles for the nine ranks (saints)
* Below the Lamb are the particles commemorating the living and the departed.

Important pastoral notes.

·“The priest prays for the people and with the people but not instead of the people.”

oThis means you should be present to offer your prosphora!

Prosphora should be offered

By the individual making the offering ONLY (not by proxy)

With alms.

Before the Divine Liturgy, so the priest can commemorate the names properly.

Concerning names.

Living and the Dead.

For each Orthodox name (if there is time!) a particle is taken out and placed on the diskos.

Near the end of the liturgy, after the communion of the faithful, all particles are poured into the chalice with the prayer: “By thy precious Blood, O Lord, wash away the sins of those here commemorated, through the intercessions of Thy saints. “

Clearly, non Orthodox do not commune from the chalice, so neither should non Orthodox be commemorated with a particle, which will be put in the chalice

Orthodox names should be used – no nicknames, etc

It really helps if you *print* legibly. It is REALLY frustrating to try to make out bad handwriting. Russian cursive is almost impossible for me to read.

Non-Orthodox must be clearly marked.

Non-Orthodox are not “placed on the diskos”, but I always pray for all names. Christians pray for everyone, but do not pray for everyone in the exact same way.

What happens when prosphora is offered late?

The priest’s prayer is disrupted.

He should never leave the front of the altar except when the service calls for movement. Concentration is difficult.

The names are not commemorated properly.

The commemorations may be missed.

Locally at St Nicholas

Everyone must offer their own prosphora. If a person is sick, of course, arrangements can be made with a friend to offer their commemoration book, but this is the exception, not the rule.

Please indicate clearly if a person is not Orthodox.

Use Orthodox names, not nicknames, etc.

There are commemoration books in back, and commemoration slips, for the living and dead. . Each person must individually get a prosphora and offer it along with their book or slip(s).

I am asking people to make a good faith effort to offer prosphora before the Liturgy begins.

We do not have a strict cutoff” times when prosphora are not accepted, but keep in mind that any prosphora offered after the liturgy starts cause a problem for the priest and guarantee that individual particles for each name will not be taken out, and definitely, none are accepted after the Great Entrance.

Keep in mind that my dyptichs are extensive and all current/past/sometime parishioners are commemorated.

Synopsis:A Short talk about the minimum requirements for baptism, and emergency baptism, which is a baptism performed withot a priest when a person is in danger of immanent death. Who can perform this baptism, how should it be done, and what must be done after the baptism is performed. The text is an outline of the talk. These talks are designed to get a little information into the faithful right after the liturgy before it becomes too chaotic to teach.

If we are honest with ourselves, we should lament our inattention to God, our weak and inconstant prayer, our false priorities, the time we waste on things that are not effectual for our salvation. We are weak creatures, driven by habit, and many of these habits are sinful and destructive. So many of our activities are thieves – they steal time from prayer.

It is precisely because of our nature that I have counseled most of you to do "4 bows" in the morning. There is a superb article, from an old "Nicodemus" publication (which later became "Orthodox America") which provided the seed for this instruction. In the article, a bishop was instructing a group of children. I will try to reproduce the gist of his words here.

Our hearts are like coal, which is cold, but may be lit with persistent effort. Coal lights very slowly, and much care must be taken to tend it, even when it is burning. Our prayer is like blowing on the coal, which gradually becomes warmer, and eventually a hot fire, but only after much persistence on our part. The key is persistence, and not to lose heart. Even a small effort is rewarded by God, if we are persistent.

The bishop then went on to instruct the children to do three bows in the morning, IMMEDIATELY after they got out of bed. I added one more bow to the list, and have told almost everyone in confession or another time about this rule. This rule follows, and I beg all of you to follow it with all your strength.

The Four Bows

Upon arising in the morning, before anything else , direct your heart and mind towards God, and face your icons, or face East and with compunction, and without haste, make four bows, or better, four prostrations. Do this with hope in God, and the sure belief that He will receive your prayer, as He received the widow's two mites, and protect you during the day, even if you fall into inattention and these prayers are the last you will say for the entire day.

Making the sign of the cross, with a bow of prostration during each prayer say:

After these prayers, it is best to continue with your morning prayers, and then turn your attentions to the cares of the day. Even if the weakness of the flesh compels us to abandon our prayer and rush into our day, perhaps not to return to our morning prayer, at least we have begun the by giving our "first fruits" to God. Let us do these "few things", four short prayers that take under a minute, so that in time, our heart will become aflame with the love of God, and our Lord will say to us: ""Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Mat 25:21)

We have been having short talks after Liturgy recently. The homily is after the Gospel, where it belongs, and after liturgy, I try to talk about something practical (usually), trying to keep it as short as possible.

I have talked about confession, oil, bows and prostrations, etc. Sometimes I cannot help myself and must talk about theological topic.

We just celebrated the Transfiguration, and as is usual for any "extra" services, most people were not in attendance. This is a very important feast, and I think the people should be taught about it at least every year, so I gave a short talk about the Transfiguration (or combination talk and homily) yesterday.

I am trying to get organized and have a handout for the talks. The way my brain works is just to scribble stuff down Sunday morning and go with it, but I am trying to mend my ways. Sunday, there was a handout:

Transfiguration. Aug 6/19

The story, summarized.

What does this teach us about Jesus Christ?

What does this teach us about ourselves?

Why did it occur when it did?

Why were Moses and Elias present?

What other event in our Lord's life has obvious similarities to the Transfiguration?

Blessing of fruit, especially grapes.

OT Scripture for the Feast

The most important “take home message” scripture for the feast.

TroparionTone 7

Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ God, / Who didst show Thy glory unto Thy disciples as far as they could bear it. / May Thine ever-existing light / shine forth also upon us sinners / through the prayers of the Theotokos. // O Bestower of light, glory be to Thee!

Kontakion Tone 7

On the mountain wast Thou transfigured, / and Thy disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they could bear it, O Christ God; / that when they would see Thee crucified, / they would comprehend that Thy suffering was voluntary, / and proclaim to the world that Thou art of a truth // the Effulgence of the Father.

2 Peter 1:16-17 16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

2Pe 1:4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

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In confirming the common Resurrection, O Christ God, / Thou didst raise up Lazarus from the dead before Thy Passion. / Wherefore, we also like the children, bearing the symbols of victory, / cry to Thee, the Vanquisher of death: / Hosanna in the highest, // blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

If the “LISTEN NOW” link does not work, copy this URL into your browser:http://www.orthodox.net/catechism/prayers-of-the-church-lenten-prayers_2008-04-16+lazarus-saturday,-palm-sunday-troparion.m3u

If this file does not work for you, try the direct link to the actual mp3 file:http://www.orthodox.net/catechism/prayers-of-the-church-lenten-prayers_2008-04-16+lazarus-saturday,-palm-sunday-troparion.mp3

O Gladsome Light of the holy glory of the immortal, heavenly, holy, blessed Father, O Jesus Christ: Having come to the setting of the sun, having beheld the evening light, we praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: God. Meet it is for Thee at all times to be praised with reverent voices, O Son of God, Giver of life. Wherefore, the world doth glorify Thee.

If the “LISTEN NOW” link does not work, copy this URL into your browser:http://www.orthodox.net/catechism/prayers-of-the-church-vespers_2008-02-26+gladsome-light.m3u

If this file does not work for you, try the direct link to the actual mp3 file:http://www.orthodox.net/catechism/prayers-of-the-church-vespers_2008-02-26+gladsome-light.mp3